Free Yourself

Free Yourself
Studio album by Fantasia Barrino
Released November 23, 2004
Recorded 2003–2004
Genre R&B, soul
Length 51:00
Label J, 19
Producer Louis Biancaniello, Craig Brockman, Bryan-Michael Cox, Clive Davis, Jermaine Dupri, Missy Elliott, Sean Garrett, Jazze Pha, Darkchild, Harold Lilly, Ric Rude, Soulshock & Karlin, The Underdogs, Sam Watters, Nigel Wright[1]
Fantasia Barrino chronology
Free Yourself
(2004)		 Fantasia
(2006)
Singles from Free Yourself
  1. "Truth Is"
    Released: December 7, 2004
  2. "Baby Mama"
    Released: May 3, 2005
  3. "Free Yourself"
    Released: June 1, 2005
  4. "It's All Good"
    Released: 2005
  5. "Ain't Gon' Beg You"
    Released: 2005

Free Yourself is the debut album by American Idol winner Fantasia Barrino, which was released on November 23, 2004. The album was sold 240,000 units in its first week, and reached number eight on the United States Billboard 200 chart. The album is certified platinum in the United States and has been nominated for ten awards, three of which were Grammy Awards.

Background and development

After winning American Idol, Fantasia signed to J Records with 19 Entertainment and began work on her debut album. The album was released on November 23, 2004. Its first single, "Truth Is," was released in December 2004.

Reception

Commercial

In its first week of release, Free Yourself sold over 240,000 copies. It sold over one million copies in United States. It debuted at number eight on Billboard 200 album chart in US. It was certified Platinum by Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Critical

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[2]
Rolling Stone[3]
Slant Magazine[4]

Free Yourself received mixed reviews. It got three out of five stars by both AllMusic.com and Rolling Stone magazine. It also received 2.5/5 stars by Slant Magazine. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic said: "Free Yourself is looser and hipper than any previous American Idol album. Gone is Matthew Wilder, who contributed to Kelly's debut; gone are Neil Sedaka and Aldo Nova, who featured heavily on Clay's album. In their place are Missy Elliott, Jermaine Dupri and Rodney Jerkins, hip-hop hitmakers who give a good indication that this album is striving to seem fresh and hip, something that no other American Idol album has even attempted. Of course, the show-biz trappings haven't been completely abandoned -- Fantasia's showstopping rendition of Gershwin's "Summertime" has been revived, and it's been given an overwrought treatment that's slicker and more mannered than either of her performances of it on the show. And that reveals Fantasia's biggest weakness, which is part of the inherent flaw of American Idol: it rewards contestants who put on a show of being a great singer instead of actually being a great singer."

Singles

The album had a series of hit singles with "Truth Is", "Baby Mama" and "Free Yourself". "Truth Is" achieved a record stay at number on the Adult R&B Airplay chart for a female artist at fourteen weeks. "It's All Good" was a club hit reaching the top ten, and "Ain't Gonna Beg You" received radio airplay.

Track listing

Standard edition
No. TitleWriter(s) Length
1. "Ain't Gon' Beg You"  Damon Thomas, Harvey Mason, Jr., Antonio Dixon 4:14
2. "Free Yourself" (featuring Missy Elliott)Craig Brockman, Missy Elliott 4:18
3. "Truth Is"  Ronald Isley, O'Kelly Isley, Jr., Rudolph Isley, Ernie Isley, Marvin Isley, Carsten Schack, Alex Cantrell 3:55
4. "Selfish (I Want You to Myself)" (featuring Missy Elliott)Elliott 3:24
5. "Summertime"  George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin, DuBose Heyward 2:46
6. "Baby Mama"  Barbara Acklin, Vito Colapietro, Neely Dinkins, Harold Lilly, Eugene Record 4:15
7. "Got Me Waiting"  Ciara Harris, Jermaine Dupri, Johnta Austin, Bryan-Michael Cox 3:51
8. "It's All Good"  Rodney Jerkins, Ricky Lewis, Sean Garrett 4:05
9. "You Were Always on My Mind" (feat. string arrangements by David Campbell)Johnny Christopher, Mark James, Wayne Carson Thompson 3:43
10. "Good Lovin'"  Brockman, Elliott 3:53
11. "Don't Act Right" (featuring Jazze Pha)Phalon Alexander, Charles Pettaway, Johnta Austin, Zachary Wallace 4:03
12. "This Is Me"  Thomas, Mason Jr., Dixon 3:33
13. "I Believe" (feat. string arrangements by David Campbell)Louis Biancaniello, Tamyra Gray, Sam Watters 5:00
Japanese limited edition bonus tracks
No. Title Length
14. "It's All Good" (The Scumfrog Mixshow) 5:31
15. "I Believe" (Nate Skaten Mixshow)  

Personnel

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Result
2004 Billboard Music Awards Top Selling Single of the Year ("I Believe") Won
Top Selling R&B/Hip-Hop Single of the Year ("I Believe") Won
2005 Billboard American Urban Radio Networks Top R&B/Hip-Hop Single ("I Believe") Won
American Music Awards Favorite Soul/R&B Album (Free Yourself) Nominated
2006 Grammy Awards Best Female R&B Vocal Performance ("Free Yourself") Nominated
Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance ("Summertime") Nominated
Best R&B Album ("Free Yourself") Nominated
ASCAP Rhythm and Soul Awards Most Performed Song ("Free Yourself") Won
Most Performed Song ("Truth Is") Won
Soul Train Music Award Best Female R&B/Soul Album (Free Yourself) Nominated

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2004) Peak
position
US Billboard 200[5] 8
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[6] 2

Year-end charts

Chart (2005) Position
US Billboard 200[7] 27
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums[8] 7

References

  1. ↑ allmusic ((( Free Yourself > Credits )))
  2. ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Free Yourself – Fantasia". Rovi Corporation. Allmusic. Archived from the original on 2013-04-01. Retrieved 2013-04-01.
  3. ↑ Rolling Stone review
  4. ↑ Cinquemani, Sal (2004-11-19). "Fantasia: Free Yourself". Slant Magazine. slantmagazine.com. Retrieved 2013-04-01.
  5. ↑ "Fantasia – Chart history" Billboard 200 for Fantasia.
  6. ↑ "Fantasia – Chart history" Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums for Fantasia.
  7. ↑ "2005 Year-End Charts – Billboard 200 Albums". Billboard. Retrieved April 26, 2016.
  8. ↑ "2005 Year-End Charts – Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums". Billboard. Retrieved April 26, 2016.
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